It is now possible to reprogram blood cells into cells that can become a variety of cell types for specific tissues and organs. Cells can open up their genes to become more adaptable to stresses, a trick that cancer cells often use to evade the effects of chemotherapy. Developing technologies that can control the reprogramming can benefit a huge number of people. This project will build the foundations for a new technology that will power regenerative medicine by converting knowledge learned during this research into tools that are expected to improve the survival of cells in low oxygen conditions and promote their regeneration, for example nerve cells after a stroke and heart cells after a heart attack.
The adaptive potential of multicellular organisms is critically determined by their capacity to create and employ new behaviors in response to stress. This process depends on the encoded information within the cellular population, both at the genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional levels. The proposed research will provide new knowledge and strategies to regulate chromatin structure in order to enhance the adaptive potential of eukaryotic cells with the ultimate goal of facilitating tissue regeneration and function. The PI will investigate how to control chromatin structure via pharmacological agents, morphological cues, and low frequency electromagnetic radiation. The proposed research will create a paradigm shift for tissue and regenerative engineering strategies by elucidating factors that govern the restriction of the adaptive potential of eukaryotic cells. Upon completion of the proposal it is expected to: 1) develop a new nanoscale imaging technology to image nanoscale chromatin modifications in vivo; 2) bridge nanoscale imaging and molecular assays; and 3) reversibly increase adaptability of otherwise terminally differentiated cells.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
